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Bloomquist hits DL; ASU's Elmore gets the call

Bloomquist hits DL; ASU's Elmore gets the call

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Willie Bloomquist

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PHOENIX -- Not willing to play shorthanded while he recovers, the D-backs placed infielder Willie Bloomquist on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday with a strained lower back and promoted infielder Jake Elmore from Triple-A Reno.

Bloomquist missed six consecutive games last week with the same injury before playing two games in Pittsburgh. The 34-year-old was penciled in the lineup Thursday but was a late scratch when the injury flared up again.

On Friday, D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said the team would keep Bloomquist active and evaluate him day to day, but the club went in the opposite direction. The move is retroactive to Thursday.

"We can't play short," Gibson said. "I can't wait another four or five days and not play him. It just wasn't healed. Now he can take time and calm it down."

Before the injury, Bloomquist was having a career season, batting .300 and scoring 46 runs.

The veteran infielder became the first Arizona State alum to play for the D-backs last season. Coincidentally, Elmore will become the second Sun Devil to play for the club when he makes his debut.

The 25-year-old was selected by the D-backs in the 34th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

In 108 games with Reno this season, Elmore hit .344 with 73 RBIs, 95 runs and 32 stolen bases.

"He's had a great year down there, and he can play all the positions," Gibson said. "He can put the bat on the ball, we kind of live and die by the home run too much, so to have a guy who can put the bat on the ball and do some things is good."

Gibson said Reno manager Brett Butler called Elmore the best two-hole hitter he's ever coached. The two shared a special moment when the manager told Elmore of his promotion on Friday.

"He called me in, he had a mad look on his face and he was telling me about some mistakes I made, but then he told me I can work on it in the big leagues tomorrow," Elmore said. "He started tearing up and I let out a shout."

In the D-backs clubhouse before Saturday night's game, Elmore admitted the feeling still hasn't sunk in, but he's trying to enjoy the moment.

"I think I was floating above my body for a while," he said. "Everything I've heard, this is a great clubhouse and a great group of guys. They're in the chase, just a few games back. I'm going to do anything I can do to tell help and get them there."